Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zanmuperfect’

ABSTRACT

A  chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Zanmuperfect’ characterized by its medium sized blooms with pink ray florets and prolific branching; natural season flower date September 14 (week 38); blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium Ramat.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Zanmuperfect’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium Ramat., commercially known as a garden mum, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar denomination ‘Zanmuperfect’. ‘Zanmuperfect’ is a product of a breeding and selection program for outdoor pot mums (garden mums) which had the objective of creating new cultivars with a double type inflorescence, a natural season flower date around September 14 (week 38), blooming for a period of 5 weeks. ‘Zanmuperfect’ is a seedling resulting from a cross of the female parent id 9396 with the male parent id 45821. Plants of the new cultivar ‘Zanmuperfect’ differ from plants of the female parent in the color of the ray-florets. The ray-florets of the seedling are pink, while those of the female parent are red. Plants of the new cultivar ‘Zanmuperfect’ differ from plants of the male parent in the presence of disc florets. (1) Disc florets are absent in all stages of flowering of the seedling, while they are present in mature inflorescences of the male parent.

The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as a flowering plant by Wilhelmus Bernardus Blom on a cultivated field in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in 2005. The first act of asexual production of ‘Zanmuperfect’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings from the initial selection in 2005 were propagated further in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the various stages of foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown out door in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands under natural day length and temperature and planted in week 23 in 2009. The natural blooming date of this crop was September 14 (week 38). The average height of the plants was 25 cm. No growth retardants were used. No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. No tests were done on cold or drought tolerance. This new variety produces medium sized blooms with pink ray florets and a dark center blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivar in comparison to ‘Zanmuperfect’ is ‘Stella’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,421). When ‘Stella’ and ‘Zanmuperfect’ are being compared the following difference is noticed: The difference of ‘Stella’ and ‘Zanmuperfect’ are (1) Natural season flowering date. And (2) Color ray florets. (1) The plants of ‘Zanmuperfect’ flower later than those of ‘Stella’. (2) The ray-florets of ‘Zanmufperfect’ are pink, while those of ‘Stella’ are more peach colored.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish ‘Zanmuperfect’ as a new and distinct variety.

The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart used in this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, edition 2001.

TABLE 1 Botanical Description of Chrysanthemum xmorifolium Ramat. ‘Zanmuperfect’ Bud Size Small; cross-section 5 mm, height 4 mm Shape Round Texture Pubescent Outside Color Greyed-green 191A Phyllaries Number 24-26, arranged in 3 rows Shape Elliptic Apex Acute Base Truncate Margin Entire Color Upper surface: Greyed green 191B Length and width 8 mm; 3 mm Texture Pubescent Inflorescence Type Double Height 2 cm Diameter 6 cm Peduncle length 7-9 cm Peduncle color Green 138B to C Peduncle diameter 1.5 mm Peduncle texture Pubescent Number per branch Approx. 7 inflorescences Duration of flowering 5 weeks Seeds Produced in small quantities, ovate, Greyed-brown 199A, length 1.5 mm, diameter 0.5 mm Fragrance Faint chrysanthemum odor Color Center of inflorescence Immature stage: Red 51A Mature stage: Red 51A Color of upper surface of the Red-purple 70D ray-florets Color of the lower surface Red-purple 73 C-D of the ray-florets Tonality from Distance A garden mum with pink flowers and a dark center Color of the ray-florets after Violet 84C aging of the plant Ray florets Texture Upper and lower surface smooth Number 240-250 Shape Elliptic Apex Dentate Base Attenuate Cross-section Flat Longitudinal axis of Straight majority Length of corolla tube 2-3 mm Ray-floret margin Entire Ray-floret length 2-2.8 cm Ray-floret width 4-5 mm Ratio length/width High Disc florets Absent Receptacle Color Yellow-green 145D Shape Conical raised Height 5 mm Diameter 6 mm Reproductive Organs Androecium Absent Pollen Not produced Gynoecium Present on ray florets Style color Yellow-green 154C Style Length 3 mm Stigma color Yellow 7A Stigma Width 1 mm Ovary Enclosed in calyx Plant Form Grown as a spray type pot mum, outdoor raised and mounded Growth habit Spherical shape Growth rate Medium Height 25 cm Width 45 cm Stem Color Greyed-brown 199A Stem Strength Medium Stem Brittleness Brittle Stem Anthocyanin Coloration Not observed Internode length 2 cm Length of lateral branch From top to bottom 19 cm Lateral branch color Green 137 C Lateral branch, attachment Weak Lateral branch diameter 2 mm Branching (average number Prolific with 7 breaks after pinching of lateral branches) Natural season blooming date September 14 (week 38) Foliage Leaf color Upper side: Green 137A Lower side: Green 138A Color midvein Upper side: Yellow-green 147D Lower side: Yellow-green 148D Size Small; length 4.5-7cm, width 2.5-3 cm Quantity (number per lateral 23-25 branch) Shape Broadly elliptic Texture upper side Sparsely pubescent Texture under side Pubescent Venation arrangement Palmate Shape of the margin Serrated Shape of Base of Sinus Rounded Between Lateral Lobes Margin of Sinus Between Diverging Lateral Lobes Shape of Base Attenuate Apex Mucronulate Petiole length 0.5-1 cm Petiole diameter 2 mm Petiole color Yellow-green 147D

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison variety (when grown side to side) “Zanmuperfect” ‘Stella’ Natural season flowering date Week 38 Week 35 Color upper surface ray-florets Red-purple 70D Orange 29C 

1. A new and distinct chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zanmuperfect’ as described and illustrated. 